Spain2023

Catalunya

When was the track built?

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya was built as part of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics development programme. The foundation stone was laid in 1989, while the first car race was a round of the 1991 Spanish Touring Car Championship.

When was its first Grand Prix?

Two weeks after the touring cars raced at Barcelona, it was Formula 1’s turn. The track enjoyed a sensational debut, with Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna’s famous eyeball-to-eyeball drag race down the straight, before Mansell took the lead and drove on to victory.

What’s the circuit like?

The drivers love the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, which is just as well, as they have traditionally spent huge amounts of time pounding around it during winter testing. The track is a good mix of high- and low-speed corners, with the challenging Turn 3 right-hander a great chance to evaluate the balance of the car your team’s designers have given you to fight with for the season.

Why go?

You don’t need us to tell you that Barcelona is one of the world’s great cities, even if we just sort of did. Food, culture, beaches – it’s all there, making a Spanish Grand Prix holiday a properly attractive proposition.

Where is the best place to watch?

You’ve got plenty of choice, with almost the whole track overlooked by grandstands or general admission areas. On the outside of Turn 1, Grandstand A will let you see the best overtaking spot on the track, while the general admission area around Turn 3 will provide the awe-inspiring sight of Formula 1 cars being pushed to the limit of their downforce capabilities.